Reprint of the Chess Reader

The reprint of the Chess Reader had also been initiated before our foundation, consequently the first printing of 100 copies by the “Publishing House Moravian Chess” could already be delivered a short time after our foundation event. So our members will be delighted to get a copy prior to this year’s Christmas, all the more as it represents a gift of our present chairman Jurgen Stigter to the founding members. Therefore – surely in the name of all members – heartfelt thanks to him! We owe further thanks to Tony Gillam who as the copyright owner agreed to the project, as well as to Vlastimil Fiala for willingly undertaking the printing and for the rapid publication.

As an introduction to the Chess Reader we would like to provide you with some quotations and information:

Tony Gillam in his obituary of Ken Whyld:

„At this time (the 1950s), Ken was busily collecting chess books. He began a magazine (Chess Reader, 1955-63) devoted to reviewing new chess books and during its lifetime he wrote over 500 reviews. This was not only a clever way of getting free copies but it gave him an outlet for his writing skills. This magazine is now completely unobtainable, even on the secondhand market, which is a great shame as it means that Ken’s beautifully crafted reviews are also unavailable.“

Excerpt from A Walk on the Whyld Side (reprinted from CHESS 11/1998, in: Sarah Hurst, Curse of Kirsan. Milford, 2002):

"Throughout the 1950s Whyld had also produced his own magazine, The Chess Reader. This was quite different from The Chess Student’s Quarterly, being exclusively devoted to reviews and discussions of chess books, but it had the same effect of keeping the editor in touch with chess buffs around the world. Whyld was simply doing something he wanted – keeping a record of new chess publications and obtaining a few free review copies along the way. Long before the invention of the PC and desktop publishing software, he laboriously typeset the pages. “I typed everything out with dots to the end of the line to see how many spaces I had to leave, then I typed each page out again with right-hand justification.” "

"A magazine for chess bibliophiles is a “rara avis“ in the chess world, but certainly there is a need for one since ”Les cahiers de L’échiquier français” are no more issued. Therefore the intention to publish such a periodical in the English language deserves the support of all those who are interested in the secondary aspects of chess.

Only he who is not merely alive to the practical game but also to the history and the literature of the game of all games, will fully undergo the fascinating influence it exercises on humanity for many centuries.

May a great success be granted to Mr. K. Whyld to his new magazine.

Dr. M. Niemeijer."

First Editorial, page 1

First Editorial, page 2

Last Editorial (Christmas, 1963)

A few informative lists concerning the Chess Reader have been compiled by chess friend Michael Negele, they will be herewith passed on to our readers:

The attempt to continue the Chess Reader did not last long: The Chess Player Vol. 6 Midsummer 1965 Nos. 1-2

Ken Whyld’s lists of duplicates no. 10 to 27 as well as the first list for the closure of his collection end of 1963 (according to Hurst's interview) – the last sentence is typical of Whyld’s attitude to matters!

No. I "Due to a fundamental change in my private life I shall be selling my own chess library over the next year or so. The books will be listed in a series of catalogues, of which this is the first. Each item number will be prefaced by a letter indicating group. When I no longer have the books, I shall know for the first time exactly what I did have ! ..."

Postscript

It turned out after completion of the reprint that a further issue of the Chess Reader (namely vol. VI, nos. 3-4, Febr. 1966) was published as a latecomer to vol. VI (nos. 1-2, Midsummer 1965). This one will also be reprinted and distributed to our founding members together with a further gift - on this point see our publications page 4. A second impression of the Chess Reader including the a.m. additional issue is in preparation.

Here you may have a look at the introduction of the last CR issue

PPS:

Presented in Forchheim: 2nd edition of the "Chess Reader by Ken Whyld", completed by the issue 3/4 of volume VI 1966 (missing in the member edition). This edition was enlarged by an obituary written by Tony Gillam as well as a foreword and an index both by Michael Negele. Available from Moravian chess publishing house.